Book-rest.



No. 68!,976. Patented Sept. 33, 190i. W. B. RATl-IVON.

BOOK REST.

(Application filed Nov. 6, 1900.)

(No lllodei.)

A TTOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. RATHVON, OF FLORENCE, COLORADO.

BOOK-REST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,976, dated September 3, 1901.

Application filed November 6, 1900. Serial No. 35,610. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. RATHVON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Florence, in the county of Fremont and State of Colorado, have invented a new and Im proved Book-Rest, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a rest designed to hold a plurality of books in convenient position for reading; and it is especially adapted for use by students, so as to hold the text and reference books all in such position as admits of their most convenient use.

This specification is a specific description of one form of the invention, while the claims are definitions of the actual scope thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.'

Figure l is a perspective View of the invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the rest folded. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary rear View of the rest. Fig. 4 is a side view with the parts extended. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a holder for the book-rest, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the use of the holder.

The book-rest comprises a base a, a main shelf b, and an auxiliary shelf c. The shelf 1) has a ledge b at its lower edge and is hinged at such edge to the front edge of the base a. The auxiliary shelf 0 is hinged at its lower edge to the rear edge of the main shelf 1) and is of approximately one-third the width of the main shelf, so that two large books may be placed on the main shelf, as indicated in Fig.

1, and a small book placed on the auxiliary shelf, as shown. The auxiliary shelf 0 has guide-rods c at its side edges, which serve to hold down the leaves of the book,as indicated, and also to carry an index-bar c to be, used in connection with the book held in the auxiliary shelf.

The shelves b and c are adapted to be supported at Various inclinations by means of the two brackets respectively designated (1 and e, the bracket d working with the shelf 12 and the bracket e working with the shelf 0. Both of the brackets 61 and e are hingedly mounted on the base a, and the bracket (1 is preferably in the form of a rectangular bail and engageable with any one of the three or more hooks b fastened to the under side of theshelf b. The bracket Q has a hook at its free end, and this hook Works with the eyes 0 fastened to the under side of the auxiliary shelf, as shown. It is clear that by the ad justment of these brackets 61 and e the inclination of the shelves 1) and a may be readily regulated.

The rest may be supported in any desired manner. For example, it may be attached to the wall or other perpendicular surface, or it may be mounted on a stand, or, indeed, it may be held in the lap of the user. Figs. 1, 2, and 3 show the book-rest mounted on a perpendicular support, in which case two supporting-arms fare provided, one of which arms is shown in each of the views referred to. These arms have vertical portions fastened to the support and horizontal portions extending under the base a, with upturned front ends f, (see Fig. 4,) which ends are passed through openings in the base.

For preventing the book-rest from tilting forward fingers f are mounted on the rear portions of the arms f and project upwardly and forwardly of the top of the base a, thus holding the same down firmly on the arms.

For holding the book-rest on a stand, the upper part of which is indicated by the letter g in Fig. 6, I provide a support comprising a stem h, with two forwardly-projected arms h, the ends of which are bent upwardly and projected into the openings in the base a, which openings are also arranged to receive the before-mentioned ends f of the arms f. The support also comprises two rearwardly-projected arms b the ends of which are formed into hooks disposed upwardly and forwardly and designed to engage with the upper surface of the base a. This device is fully shown in Figs. 5 and 6, where it will be seen .that the base of the book-rest is held firmly and the stem h of the support is fastened in the tubular part g of the stand.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A book-rest support, comprising a stem, a laterally-projected arm having its outer end turned upward to engage the book-rest, said arm being carried by the stem, and a second laterally-projected arm also carried by the i0 and means on each shelf with which the brackets may respectively be adj ustably en gaged, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM R. RATHVON.

Witnesses: I ELLA S. RATHVON, GERTRUDE STATE. 

